The Best Guide To Visiting Lake Königssee in Germany

This guide will tell you all you need to know to visit one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany – Königssee.

And there is a really special thing you need to do when you visit that will make the experience unforgettable. I hope I’ll convince you to visit Lake Königssee while you’re in the German or Austrian Alps.

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I’ve never seen a more beautiful place than Lake Königssee in Berchtesgaden National Park in Germany. Sure, maybe I say that a lot, but this time I promise, I mean it.

We explored Berchtesgaden National Park during our time in Austria on our 6 month trip to 18 countries.

We spent a few days in Vienna marveling at the beautiful capital’s history. Then, a day in Salzburg tracking down filming locations from The Sound of Music.

We then hopped over the border into Germany to visit a lake that I had seen on YouTube and had added to our bucket list before we ever left for our trip. 

We ended up having such an amazing day, and Berchtesgaden became one of our favorite ‘hidden gems’ from the trip! Lake Königssee in particular really wowed us!

Where is Lake Königssee & Berchtesgaden National Park?

Berchtesgaden National Park was established in 1978 as a protected natural area located in the German Bavarian Alps.

The park covers an area of approximately 210 square kilometers. It is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including alpine meadows, forests, and a number of endangered species. 

It’s an incredibly beautiful natural gem in Germany, and one we only happened upon when I saw Lake Königssee on a YouTube video. Königssee in German means King’s Lake.

I actually had no idea at the time that the lake was located in a larger national park area. I’m so glad that we also decided to do a bit of hiking and explore more of the park than just the lake. Though if that is all you end up seeing it is more than worth it).

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Entrance Fees & Parking Fees

There is no entrance fee to Berchtesgaden National Park. However there are parking and activity fees, for example for the Lake Königssee boat ride or the JennerBahn Cable Car.

If you drive to Berchtesgaden National Park, there are multiple car parks a short distance from the lake and the boat pier. Expect to pay about €3 per hour, or €9 for the day.

How to Visit Lake Königssee

If you are planning to visit Lake Königssee, you can get here a few ways.

We rented a car in Vienna to do a little road trip with Colton’s parents. So, we drove into the park from the Austrian side, crossing over into Germany. 

From Salzburg, take the 305 into Germany and all the way to the town of Berchtesgaden, take the B20 all the way to the parking lot for the lake. 

You may also come to Berchtesgaden from Munich or another part of Germany. From Munich, which is about a 2 hour drive from the park, you can take the A8 motorway and then exit at Bad Reichenhall. From there, follow the signs to Berchtesgaden. Take the B20 all the way into the park and to the parking lot for the lake.

There are a few public transportation routes that can get you to the park from either Salzburg or Munich. From Salzburg, take the 840 bus to the Berchtesgaden train station. Then, you’ll need to transfer to the 841 bus from Schönau to Königssee. From Munich, take the train from the Munich main station via Freilassing to Berchtesgaden.

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It’s also possible to visit Berchtesgaden National Park and Lake Königssee through an organized tour. Options for single day private tours from Salzburg are the most popular and offer a more bespoke experience.

What to Do in Berchtesgaden

Berchtesgaden National Park is a beautiful natural area located in the Bavarian Alps in southern Germany. There are many things to see and do in the park, but the most popular (other than Lake Königssee) is the amazing hiking.

Lake Königssee Boat Trip

Cost: €22 for adult round trip ticket. Tickets can be purchased in the park.
Duration: approx. 45 min.
When To Go: the boat tours are operated year round, with exceptions for weather. Summer and Fall are great times to visit.

The boat ride on Lake Königssee is such a bucket list type experience! The boats, the views, and the towering mountains are wonderfully grand.

I also love that the boats used on Lake Königssee are all electric, so you can feel better about venturing out onto this pristine lake by boat. Only electric boats are allowed on Lake Königssee. This preserves the crystal clear waters and protects the natural wildlife that calls the lake home.

It’s an incredible way that the park has created a sustainable tourism practice. This girl with a Parks & Recreation degree is geeking out!

You will buy one ticket for the boat ride there and back. However, you don’t have a specific return time, rather there is a line for the return boat, so you’ll just get on whichever one works for you! You can also buy a one way ticket if necessary.

Visit The Church & Grab A Bite To Eat

If you take the electric boat ride out on the lake, your stopping point is Pier St. Bartholomew. Here you’ll find the beautiful Pilgrimage Church of St. Bartholomew

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What to Expect on the Boat Tour of Lake Königssee

We arrived at the park in the late morning and caught the 12pm boat tour. 

The boats are beautiful wooden crafted boats with bench seating throughout the middle and on the sides. Seats are first come first serve, so being in the front of the line to board the boat is a bit helpful. However, every seat has great views. 

The boat ride itself takes about 20-25 minutes each way, during which time your guide will tell you all about the lake and the park (in German). They’ll also demonstrating the echo in the valley with a horn! It’s a very fun tour and the guide we had was incredibly nice. 

We don’t speak German, but we just smiled and laughed along with everyone else to look like we fit in! It isn’t the first time this has happened to us, actually. 

We participated in a fully German tour of Trostburg Castle in Italy, and it’s one of our fondest memories: 1) it was hilarious and 2) there was a really nice German couple that translated for us which led to a great interaction with some fellow travelers. 

The boat tour actually has a destination, it isn’t just a loop around the lake. It stops at St. Bartholomew’s Church. Its quite literally one of the most striking buildings I’ve ever seen, especially against the mountain backdrop.

Now, there isn’t a ton to do once the boat drops you off. Also, you do have to make sure you catch a boat back!

There is a small seafood restaurant called Fischerei St. Bartholomä if you’re visiting around lunch time and don’t have snacks.

While you can go inside the church, we ended up not and just hanging out for a little while taking in the views. We also wanted to have enough light to go hiking so we couldn’t stay too long!

The boat ride back is similar to the ride there, and drops off right where the start of the journey began.

Be sure to visit Lake Königssee and Berchtesgaden National Park when you travel to the German Alps!

Hiking In Berchtesgaden National Park

The park has a network of trails that take you through forests, meadows, and along mountain streams. We hiked some random little trail (it was actually just a gravel road) we found and got this awesome view. 

It turns out that where we ended up is Halsalm. However, because it was off season, the restaurant up here was closed. Come in the summer and get amazing alpine views with German dairy cows!

Here are some of the most popular hikes in Berchtesgaden:
1. Königssee to Röthbach Waterfall (easy) – a 5.2mile out and back trail
2. Jenner Summit via the Königsbach Alm (hard) – 4.9miles point to point
3. Sankt Bartholomä – Ice Chapel at Königssee (moderate) – 4.2miles out and back
4. Wimbachklamm (moderate) – 1.3 miles & about 1 hour long
5. Königsbachalm via Wasserfallalm (moderate) – 5.5mile loop

Tour The WWII Eagle’s Nest

For my history buffs, you’ll be amazed at this: The park is also home to the famous Kehlsteinhaus, also known as The Eagle’s Nest. If you find yourself with some extra time when you visit Lake Königssee, check out the Kehlsteinhaus.

It was a luxurious mountain retreat built for Adolf Hitler that is now open to the public. It stands today in it’s original state in defiance of the devious plans and horrible atrocities planned there by the regime. The building is a preserved piece of history that is important in remembering the recent history of Germany.

We sadly didn’t get to go check it out because we ran out of time. But, what a fascinating piece of history in such a beautiful park!